


Venomous Needs

by BawdyBean



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game)
Genre: Aftercare, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bathing/Washing, Dominant Eskel (The Witcher), Emotionally Repressed, Light BDSM, M/M, Massage, Post-Coital Cuddling, Shibari, sub!Letho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:22:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23456980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BawdyBean/pseuds/BawdyBean
Summary: Letho decides to pay Geralt and the other wolf witchers a visit at Corvo for the summer holidays. It throws into start contrast for him some of the ways in which things are still different for him even though there is no longer a price on his head. Eskel aims to drag Letho out of his lonely world and into his.NOW with a second chapter solely of aftercare and feels:The Bite of IntimacyAfter Eskel unties Letho and gets him to the tub Eskel starts in on his aftercare routine. Which for Letho is anything but routine.
Relationships: Eskel/Letho z Gulety | Letho of Gulet
Comments: 54
Kudos: 125
Collections: Discord Community Archive, Witcher Kinkmeme Collection





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dravenxiv](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dravenxiv/gifts).



> This is a prompt fill for the witcher kinkmeme of Pillowfort! Feel free to come join us, feed us ideas or fill a prompt!  
> [Link](https://www.pillowfort.social/community/Witcher%20Kinkmeme).There is a mirror [Dreamwidth](https://thewitcherkinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/) site that does not require registration for those of you would would prefer to post anon.
> 
> Original prompt was Sub Letho, Soft Dom Eskel- Teaching Letho to let go.
> 
> Cover photo credit Photo by eddie howell on Unsplash

If there was one good thing to come of the Wild Hunt and Geralt’s Child of Surprise taking over the throne to Nilfgaard, it was that the girl—Ciri—had removed the price on Letho’s life. While Letho could never really truly relax as long as Emhyr was alive, he believed Geralt when the wolf said Ciri would as soon geld her sire as see him go back on her words. It allowed Letho to return to a modicum freedom he hadn’t had in years. Not since he’d landed in that Nilfgaardian jail and had a fateful meeting with the then Emperor himself.

Ciri and Geralt claimed it was small thanks for helping to defend Kaer Morhen against the Wild Hunt but for Letho it was not small. In the few years since, Letho had kept in touch. A visit here and there. A package sent from his travels to Zerrikania. He was welcome at Corvo Bianco and he knew it. So when word came to him that all the remaining wolf witchers planned to gather there for midsummer he decided to drop by.

Afterall, it had been quite a while since he’d seen the prickly bastard—Lambert—the black haired one. And Eskel, who had scars all down the side of his face but still seemed content in his life as a witcher. It would be good to be around his own kind for a bit. He was safer on the road now than he had been in a long time but he was lonely.

Out of habit more than fear, Letho waited until dark had fallen to knock on the door at the vineyard. Geralt’s majordomo was still around, answering the door promptly and after a quick look at Letho’s eyes, he called out to Geralt that he had a visitor without so much as a question.

“Letho. Come in and join us.” Geralt gave him a warm smile and clapped him on the shoulder.

“We were just trying to drink Pretty Boy here’s cellar dry! You’re just the help we need.” Lambert let out a loud belch, leaning over a bottle of wine. “Not really, this glorified grape juice is too weak to get any witcher drunk but at least it’s _good_ grape juice.”

Stepping right into the dining room Letho felt awkward at best. These three knew each other. Brothers of a kind, wolves all of them. Made and raised at the same school. Not Letho though, his bulk alone set him apart immediately. A viper. A southerner. Not a Nilfgaardian but a true southerner from before Nilfgaard came and conquered Geso. Folding it into the empire like so much of the woven wool Geso exported.

“Thought I might join you all.” Letho’s slow drawl hung in the air. “Heard you were gettin’ together, and it’s been awhile since I seen any eyes like mine.” Pulling up a chair Letho turned it around and straddled it, crossing his arms over the high back. Even this way it felt too small under his hulking frame.

Geralt passed him a bottle of wine, still cool from the cellar. Slipping one of his knives out of it's sheath Letho dug the point into the cork and twisted, dislodging it while Eskel and Lambert watched on. The prickly bastard was right, the grape juice was good, but nothing to get a witcher drunk on.

Nursing their bottles until the middle of the night when the moon would be high outside the four of them talked. Sharing where they’d been and what they’d done. Geralt didn’t have nearly as much to share, with being mostly retired now. The food spread out on the table was delicious and plentiful. Geralt told of how his cook had been a wight who was cursed and he’d cured her. In return she stayed on and spent her days making wonderful food since everyone she knew was now dead.

Eskel told of a vicious werewolf in Skellige he’d dispatched. Apparently it had attacked a local goatherds flock and that had offended him greatly. Something Letho found oddly funny. This calm witcher, scarred and vicious looking, coming to the rescue of a herd of goats. Lambert only grunted in laughter at it, earning himself a dirty look.

Silence fell over the table for a bit before Lambert spoke up again. “You know what we're missing every time we get together like this? Women. Soft, fuckable women, Geralt.” Lambert rolled his empty bottle on the table. “And no, I will not dress up and call any. Your grape juice was not strong enough.”

This time it was Geralt who let out a rolling laugh, shortly followed by a rough low snickering noise that Letho realized belatedly was Eskel laughing as well. Once again he felt out of place, clearly not in on the joke. He smiled politely anyway, but Eskel caught his eye.

“Last time we got roarin’ drunk for real, the night before the Wild Hunt, you musta been sleepin. On White Gull mixed with pepper vodka, we raided Yen’s trunk an’ dressed up as lodge ladies.” Eskel was snickering so hard he was losing his breath to speak, and then Lambert elbowed him hard trying to shut him up. “Oh no, no, ‘m tellin’ ‘im! We tried to megascope some sorceresses drunk. In the dresses. Yen was _pissed_.”

Lambert groaned loudly. Eskel rolled his eyes. “It was all in good fun.”

“Yeah, well I want to have some fun now. Preferably the kind that rides me to exhaustion.” Picking up his empty bottle Lambert pointed it at Eskel with a cheeky look.

“There’s always the brothel here. No need to piss off any sorceresses there.” Geralt chimed in. “Hell Madeleine will even pretend to _be_ a sorceress, or a succubus or whatever else you want for the right price.”

“Sounds like you’ve checked this place out already.” Eskel gave Geralt a knowing smile.

“Yeah well, can’t make wine all the time and retirement is hard.” Drumming his fingers on the table Geralt stood up. “Well what do you say boys? Shall we? It’s not a long ride and The Belles of Beauclair is open all night.”

“Hells yes!” Lambert was up in a flash. Clearly more sober than anyone had a right to be after drinking so much. Eskel stood up silently and Letho followed.

He really had no desire to go, but with the others so interested it would be strange if he declined. Instead, he’d go buy a few drinks and sit. Play dice or chat someone up. Once these three were busy they would never take notice that he wasn’t taking a woman to a room.

They filed outside and to the stable. Each man getting his horse and saddling up for the ride. Geralt was right, it took no more than half an hour to get to Beauclair’s port district, probably quite a bit less but Letho wasn’t paying as much attention as he should have. 

The inside of the brothel was dimly lit with red drapes hanging on the wall. Absolutely nothing about the place let you forget what it was and why you were here. The art on the walls was even a little lewd when he took a good look at it. While the other three were talking with the Madame, Letho sought out the merchant. Bought himself another bottle of expensive and decent tasting slightly alcoholic grape juice.

He nearly jumped when a low gravelly voice spoke right behind him. Too close to him for him not to have heard a man approaching. “Madame Isabelle can help you pick someone well suited to you for a bit if you’re not sure who you’d like to spend time with.” _Son of a bitch_. Eskel had startled him.

Turning to face Eskel, Letho tried his best not to let it show. Gave a slow smile. “Nah. I’m alright for now. I’ll find someone in a bit. Gonna play some gwent first, loosen up.”

The look he got in return was not at all convinced though. Eskel crossed his arms over his chest, leaned against a pillar, and crossed his ankles. He stared right at Letho without blinking, and it was like Eskel was staring through him. “If women aren’t your thing, jus’ let her know, I do. She’s got men workin’ here too, an’ I can vouch they’re very _talented_.” 

The slow smile that crept onto Eskel’s face, pulling his ragged scars up on one side, reached his eyes. The dark unfiltered honey of them sparkling in the low light. Letho’s heart beat loud in his ears for a moment or two before he wrangled it under control. Well shit. Uroboros himself could have swallowed Letho whole in that moment.

There were so many things in that statement that baffled Letho he couldn’t begin to pick it apart. He hadn’t considered there might be men working in this whorehouse, or that Eskel would be partaking in their charms. That half smile wasn’t wavering either. Like Eskel had figured out something about Letho that Letho hadn’t been prepared to divulge tonight.

None of this was in Letho’s plan, and his mind wasn’t offering him any good solutions. Finally he offered up the only lame reason he could think that would let him get the Hells out of here. “Frankly, whorehouses aren’t really my kinda thing.” Letho shrugged his shoulders at Eskel. “I’m a little too big and a lot too strong to be able to enjoy myself at one. Think I’ll just head back.” Offering Eskel a smile weaker and softer than he intended, Letho turned on his heel and headed for the door.

He was not running. Not at all. 

The answer his brain had supplied had struck a bit too close to the truth though and he wanted to be alone now. The door scraped closed behind and Letho breathed a sigh of relief. He wandered to the back alley where their horses were tied up and was assessing its safety when he heard the lightest of footsteps behind him.

Whirling around just in time for his arm to be caught by Eskel’s hand on his elbow, Letho stilled his own hand on his blade. He let out a whoosh of air. “Gonna get yourself stabbed doing that.”

“‘M pretty sure you won’ hurt me. Let’s go. I’ll keep you company.” Eskel smirked, dragging Letho along backwards.

“What if I don’t want company?” Letho turned around, eeling out of Eskel’s hold, bristling at the assumption of what he wanted.

Eskel let out that same rumbling low laugh from earlier. “Oh, you want it. You’re jus’ afraid of it.”

Stopping dead in his tracks Letho couldn’t move forward. He felt like he’d been struck with an arrow to the back of the neck. He didn’t know Eskel all that well at all, but it sure seemed like Eskel knew _him_.

Eskel had walked on and was a few steps ahead of him now. Finally, he seemed to realize Letho had lost his ability to move of his own volition and turned to face him. Even in the dark alley Letho was sure the shock on his face was easily readable to another witcher.

“Look, ‘m a witcher jus’ like you. You’re not gonna break me.” Eskel stalked back to him with a surprisingly predatory walk. Solid hands connected with Letho’s hips and pushed him backwards. Startled by Eskel’s boldness again, Letho stumbled, caught his steps then walked backwards until his ass and shoulders hit the wall of the brothel behind him. He stared curiously at Eskel. _Interested_ , but not sure how to go about showing it anymore, it had been so long.

“So. How ‘bout you tell me what it is you’re so Gods Damned afraid of, an’ I’ll tell you how 'm gonna give it to you. Without you hurtin’ me or walkin’ out another fuckin’ door like that.” Letho’s head was forced down, eyes made to connect with Eskel’s, by one of Eskel’s hands gripping the bare skin on the back of his shaved head. Pulling it down, and it felt so good it made his scalp prickle.

“Can’t do that here.” Letho licked his lips. “Too public.”

“Lucky for you I’ve got a guesthouse at Corvo.” Eskel smirked at him, rose up on his tiptoes and kissed the corner of Letho’s lips. His face felt numb. He went easily when Eskel pulled him along to their horses this time.

Moving without thought, everything Letho did was by rote. Mounting his horse and letting her follow Eskel’s stallion out of Beauclair. Once they were on the quiet road to the winery Eskel slowed his horse to fall in step next to Letho’s.

“No one but us out here. Wanna tell me now? What is it that you want so bad an’ can’t get there?” The softness of Eskel’s tone eased the directness of his question.

Letho let out a breath, shoulders slumping. “Back in that alley you were— demanding? Seemed very certain you could give me what I wanted.”

“An’ you liked that.” It wasn’t a question from Eskel, merely an observed fact.

Letho nodded, no sense in denying what Eskel already knew to be true. “Never easy though. Finding someone who can control a beast like me.”

That low sultry laugh was back again and Letho didn’t know how he’d missed how it curled something in his gut before. “You’re not a _beast_. Any more than Geralt or I. Lambert might be one but he’d be one even if he were entirely human. He’s jus’ an asshole sometimes.” 

Eskel’s thigh and shoulder bumped into Letho’s and his horse nickered at the sudden closeness of Scorpion. “You want me to control you then. Make you do things or do things to you? Tie you up?”

Shuddering at the thought, Letho tried hard to keep it together, but his cock was stupidly getting interested in this idea although it would never work. “I’ve had people try to tie me up before, it never works. I just break the rope when I get... “ Trailing off Letho forced the idea from his mind. “Force me to do things or do things to me. Both would be good.”

“I’ll tie you up too. I can tell you like that idea.” Letho tensed up at Eskel’s words and received a none too light punch to his thigh for it. “Stop. You’ll take what I give. I _can_ tie you up in a way you won’t break free. Trust me with this.”

It was a plea and Letho’s body ached to accept it. He couldn’t find the words to do it though so he simply gave a nod and rode on with Eskel by his side. The interrogation of his likes and wants went on until they arrived at the vineyard grounds. Did he want to be hurt, or complimented, or did he like to give or receive? Some things Letho had answers for and some he honestly didn’t even know. Eskel took those shrugs in stride and kept talking.

Horses stabled again Letho followed Eskel in a daze to a yellow painted house in the row behind the stables. When Eskel held the door open for him Letho entered and stopped just inside turning back towards Eskel. Staring at the floor, no longer sure what to do, and unable to believe he was actually going to attempt this. The last thing he wanted was for Eskel to get hurt.

A very distinctly directed rush of wind knocked into Letho pushing him back on his heels and into the table in the main room. “You’re thinkin’ too much again, stop.” Letho caught the edge of a grin from Eskel, just as his hand fell back down to his side. “Upstairs. Now.” 

Carefully Letho pushed off the table and headed up the narrow set of stairs. Immediately he wished it were wider, his shoulders brushing both walls as he ascended. At the top though, the stairway opened up into a nice sized single room, with a large bed and a large tub screened off with a wooden divider.

Letho had barely turned around at the sound of Eskel’s sword belt coming off when Eskel started in with his orders. “Undress for me, I wanna see all of you.” Working on the small buckles of his gloves Letho looked down when he saw Eskel was stripping out of most of his armor a greedy look fixed on Letho’s body.

Gloves off, Letho set to work on the larger buckles on either side of his leather breastplate. Then his thick belt. With those items undone he was able to slip out of his chest piece and then the sleeveless shirt he wore under it, leaving his chest bare to Eskel’s inspection. His knives, swords, and hood were all gone. Even with his pants still on, Letho felt completely naked already.

Trying to arrange his breastplate and gloves neatly with his weapons on a small table nearby Letho wasn’t paying any attention to where Eskel was in the room or what he was doing. Solid warm hands ghosted up his arms and then slipped in between his arms and his body, resting on his sides. Eskel’s teeth nipped very lightly at a scar on the back of his shoulder knocking the breath right out of Letho. “I like what I see, don’ be shy.”

Sudden nervousness overcame Letho and he tried to deflect it. “Not much to look at.”

“I disagree.” The hands slid up and around, fingers curling against Letho’s chest. Blunt nails dragging down his skin over the dips and valleys of his muscles at the same time Eskel pressed his soft lips to Letho’s spine, the scarred corner silky smooth. 

A surprised noise stole out of Letho and his body lurched at the contact. All of a sudden he felt like a whore in a temple, his whole body on fire. Eskel’s hands were busy undoing the laces of his leathers and Letho’s breath stuttered in and out.

Once they were loose Eskel pulled away, the influx of air on Letho’s back suddenly chilly. “C’mon now, I wanna see what you’re hidin’ from me.” Letho grunted in shock when Eskel’s hand connected with his ass _hard_. Steps moved away behind him and when Letho finally got up the courage to turn, Eskel was just bouncing backward on the bed. Smirk on his face in nothing but his leathers, arms crossed over his chest. “Go on. I tol’ you to get naked.”

All pretense gone, Letho smiled back and Eskel grinned at him. “You just wanna see if my cock is as big as my arms.” Winking at Eskel, Letho started to remove his boots.

“‘M at least as interested in your ass as ‘m your cock.” Letho almost toppled at those words from Eskel.

The lines on his chest and abdomen from Eskel’s nails were warm, and his mouth gaped open at the comment. Very slowly Letho removed his second boot, making sure to close his mouth and find some sense of composure before raising back up, eyes connecting to Eskel’s again. 

There was only pure genuine interest there. Hot, burning, as Eskel’s eyes gazed over his skin. Letho swallowed hard, pushing his doubts and his shame down with leathers and braies. Stepping out of them he laid them on his other armor on the table.

“C’mere. Sit on my lap, lemme touch you.” Eskel's voice was rough with lust. 

The urge to argue, to tell him it wasn’t a good idea, that he was too big was put to bed by one look up at Eskel. Reclined back against the headboat in the middle of the bed with a pile of pillows behind him, Eskel patted the bed by his hip, staring at him like a man at a feast trying to decide what to eat first. Letho stepped hesitantly toward the bed, none of his usual quickness present but still lighter on his feet than one would expect for a man of his size, and he could see Eskel watching his every move. Not with fear but with open hunger.

One knee hit the bed making it dip deep with his weight and a shiver rolled over Letho. “Tha’s it.” Eskel’s hand touched his other knee, guiding it over his hips and settling it on the bed. One of Eskel’s hands skated up each of Letho’s thighs, tempting him to sit back. With a bitten back groan Letho gave in, let Eskel take some of his weight. “There you go, you can relax with me.” Eskel’s fingers curled and blunt nails dragged lines down Letho’s thighs.

Eyes flashing up to Eskel, a real moan slipped out before Letho could choke it back. Hooking his hands behind his own neck Letho pulled against himself with his own strength. That at least was safe. Curling his elbows in front of his face and drawing them down. He closed his eyes against the sensations flooding his thighs. The memory of the hot lines on his chest, the real ones already faded.

“You like that, dontcha?” There was a hint of amusement in Eskel’s lust addled voice now. A smirk Letho imagined he could see. Fingernails set at the top of his chest again, one hand on either side and Letho held his breath, waiting. “Uh uh. I asked you a question. I wan’ an answer.”

“Yes.” Letho’s breath unfurled into the word.

“‘S good. I wan’ you to tell me if I do something that you want, an’ if I do somethin’ you don’. Understand?” Eskel’s thumbnails were tracing hot circles near his breastbone and all Letho could do was nod. He understood. Then the warmth was traveling down his chest, sending tingles of arousal to his groin. Eskel’s nails skipped his hips and continued down his thighs again and Letho’s hips rose forward with how good it felt.

“Gimme your hands.” It was a demand and Letho complied feeling hot all over. Shit, the way Eskel’s scars tugged up in a smile when he did it without a thought made Letho glad he’d done it too, and that was another level of what have you gotten yourself into he didn’t want to think about right now. “Good. Here, you can touch me.” Taking Letho’s hands in his Eskel placed them on his chest and leaned back letting Letho explore at his own pace.

Unlike the men Letho had tried to bed years before, at least Eskel was thick. Broad chested, and bulky. The man might be shorter than him by a good deal but then everyone was. Letho let his hands roam over Eskel’s shoulders first, fingering a scar in the clear shape of teeth— not quite human, not quite animal, probably some type of vampire— then down his arms. 

Eskel was well muscled and Letho had to admit that as sure as he was that he could take him in a fight it wouldn’t be _easy_ at least. Squeezing Eskel’s forearms with a bit of force made him moan and Letho look up at him, worried. Eskel only laughed. That laugh could warm a Skelliger’s water god Letho would swear.

“Feels good, you can go harder if you want.” Eskel pushed his sword arm into Letho’s hand.

That was a load of trust Letho hadn’t been prepared for. Being given it felt inexplicably breathtaking though. He gripped Eskel’s forearms tighter, pressing hard and squeezing muscles deep inside while listening to Eskel’s utterly pleased moans.

When he let go Letho placed one palm on Eskel’s upper abdomen, fingers spread wide sifting through the soft hairs on Eskel’s chest. Letho paused to watch Eskel rotate his wrists and stretch his arms. “Fuck, that felt amazin’.” A quick hand darted out behind his neck and pulled Letho down. Letho’s other hand thumped into the pillows by Eskel’s head to catch himself and he couldn’t help but put pressure on Eskel’s chest.

Eskel stole a kiss, and didn’t let him up. Didn’t complain about his weight pressing down. Forced Letho to open his mouth with his insistent tongue and then took some more. A hand gripped hard into Letho’s bare ass and his cock jumped at the sensation. He might have groaned but Eskel stole that too.

Breathless when Eskel finally released him Letho rolled back on his haunches, without thinking putting his full weight on Eskel and fucking Hells if Eskel wasn’t hard underneath him. Letho panted, lost and unsure of what to do. What he _wanted_ was to roll his hips and grind his ass over Eskel’s cock.

Eskel caught his eyes though and smirked. “Think ‘s ‘bout time I tied you up. You wanna feel weak for me?”

Letho sucked in a rushing breath. He didn’t have the words for this, he didn’t-

“You gotta answer me.” The words cut through Letho’s rising panic like a knife through linen, tearing it away.

The thunder of Letho’s heart echoed in his ears. Loud, persistent, and too fast. “I do.” He nodded and closed his eyes, unable to look at Eskel. “Want to feel you in control. Can’t be strong for that.”

Underneath Letho Eskel bucked his hips up, pressing his cock against Letho’s ass. “Oh, you’re wrong there. You can be strong, ‘m gonna use that strength against you to make you feel weak.” Eskel’s hips rutted up into him again and Letho grunted. “Off. Sit in the middle of the bed for me. I gotta get enough rope for you.”

It took Letho a moment for Eskel’s orders to sink in, but when they did he went. Sat on his ass with his legs crossed and watched Eskel pull a burlap sack out of a cupboard. Letho tried and failed to slow his breathing down. It only ratcheted faster at the pile of ropes Eskel dumped from the sack onto the bed.

Each one coiled neatly, some thick, some thin. Eskel sorted them quickly, putting the thinner ones back into the sack. The sack was dropped at the foot of the bed and Eskel climbed up on it. 

That predatory stalk was back and it made Letho swallow, his skin shivering hot and cold at once. "I don't want to hurt you." His own words sounded meek to his ears below the thump of his heartbeat.

Eskel crawled up into Letho’s lap, the fingers of one hand curling around the thickened scar tissue of his ear where the cartilage had separated and swollen, healing wrong. "Your gonna have to give that fear up to me." Soft lips ghosted over Letho's and Eskel's thumb caressed his gnarled ear. "Lemme have it. I don' wanna scare you, I don' wanna rip that fear outta your hands."

Another gentle kiss beckoned a soft noise from Letho. "I wan' you to give it to me willingly. Know that it'll be mine to carry for now. That I'll be in charge of keeping us safe."

It wasn’t a whimper but it was something. Letho made a quiet needy noise at Eskel who was now busy licking and kissing the side of his neck. A thick rope Letho hadn’t even been aware of Eskel bringing with him slithered around his chest, Eskel’s hands working with it behind his back. Two thick strands ran over his chest above his nipples along the top of his pecs, and Eskel pulled the twin rope strands back over his chest again, behind his back cinching it down.

All the air left Letho’s lungs with that tight pull of the rope and it wasn’t because of the force. It felt so peaceful and safe to have it wrapped around him like this with Eskel in charge of it. A witcher's strength behind the pull. “Alright.” Letho tipped his head to the side, giving Eskel more access to his neck and was rewarded with more kisses and soft bite. “Don’t let me hurt you.” Letho felt light at the request. Dizzy.

“Mmm. Good.” Eskel hummed against his skin and ran the ropes around him one last time, behind Letho’s back and over his shoulder. It vibrated through his chest wall when Eskel threaded it under the ropes on his chest. Letho groaned when Eskel nipped at his chest, then ran it under the ropes on the other side, vibrating the ropes again.

Eskel climbed off his lap and Letho wanted to protest. He moved around Letho though, taking Letho’s arms by the wrists and arranging them behind his back tightly. “Gonna tie your arms. You won’ be gettin’ out.”

In the end Letho ended up with his hands each holding the opposite elbow and the thick ropes securing him in a way where he was sure Eskel was right. He wouldn’t be getting out until Eskel let him out. The room was a bit fuzzy but it came into sharp focus when Eskel slipped his trophy knife out of its sheath and placed it on the bedside stand.

“Shh.” Eskel gripped Letho’s bald head and brought it forward to kiss his scar there. “‘S jus’ in case I need to get you out quick.” Sliding off the bed Eskel made a show of taking off his leathers in full view of Letho. His cock was already hard and he gave it a squeeze. It was thick and Letho’s body clenched with anticipation. It had been a long long time since any man had dared to take him. They always wanted a taste of his strength and to be fucked by him instead, none wanted to have him under them.

Eskel grinned at Letho, scars pulling and Letho lowered his head, too aroused by what he saw there. Taking up more rope Eskel returned to the bed and began to wind it artfully around one of Letho’s thick thighs. Starting high up, right by his groin, Eskel casually ignored Letho’s hard cock, his sac hanging low, the back of his hand brushing them out of the way as he worked. Each dismissive touch only made Letho even more aroused, here was a man who really was more interested in things other than the size of Letho’s cock.

Suddenly Eskel was threading a rope through the ones on his chest again, that thrumming hum of sensation that made Letho’s face hot. A strong pull on it forced his chest down to his thigh and Letho grunted in surprise. Eskel was a good deal stronger than Letho gave him credit for. Eskel tied the rope down securely and ran his hand over Letho’s cheek.

In one swift movement the room spun on its axis. Letho was left staring dumbly at the wall for a moment, with no idea what had just happened. Then the heat of Eskel’s cock and balls settled onto his thigh. The one outstretched toward the foot of the bed and Letho realized how completely unprotected, how open, he was as Eskel ran a hand over his ass cheek.

Letho was on his side, arms tied uselessly behind his back, thigh pulled up to his chest exposing his ass to Eskel’s every desire. With Eskel sitting on the only limb _not_ tied to himself, Letho could hardly even squirm and a desperate noise escaped him. “What-”

Craning his head Letho tried to watch, tried to see what Eskel was doing but he could already feel the strain. He wouldn’t be able to keep it up forever. Hands skimmed over his ass and then nails traced back along their path, warming his skin in lines.

Thumbs dug in deep along the outer edge of his cheek along Letho's hip and he grunted. A tight knot of muscle there was corded under Eskel's thumbs and it burned before it let go suddenly. Letho clamped his mouth shut against the moan that wanted to come out with that sensation of looseness. “-Oh.”

Eskel's elbow followed, planting in the meat of his ass, pressing into muscles that flexed his hips and gave Letho his unexpected speed. When those gave way there was no silencing the sound of pleasure he made. Shit. That was incredible. It also made Letho’s cock jump. Eskel’s hands returned, slick with some kind of oil. They slid over Letho’s upturned cheek and around the one laying on the bed. 

Kneading into the muscles there the deep pressure relieved tension Letho hadn’t even known he was holding. The strong grip of Eskel’s hands pushed and pulled at Letho’s body in a way he’d never experienced before. The first time the firm pull of Eskel’s hand on his ass spread Letho wide he inhaled sharply, breath held in anticipation of what was to come, but nothing did. The pressure released and returned, coming and going in waves until Letho relaxed into it.

Letho couldn’t even remember the last time someone had touched him with such deliberate awareness. It was odd and yet he didn’t want it to stop, craved more of it. Eskel ran a hand along Letho’s lower back, traced his fingers down Letho’s spine and further. Letho’s heartbeat thudded in his ears, loud as thunder, when Eskel’s fingers slid over his hole down to his balls. Oily fingers circled around Letho’s sack, massaging and gently pulling at his balls.

He wasn’t aware of making a noise but he must have because as the thunder died away it was replaced by the soft low shushing of Eskel’s voice. “Shh. ‘S alright. ‘M gonna make you feel so good.” Eskel’s hand left his balls and traveled back up, pressing behind his balls in a way that made Letho’s vision blur. 

Those talented fingers skimmed further up, over his hole again, rubbing circles over it pressing ever more firmly until Letho let out an undeniable moan. “Tha’s it, tha’s good. So good for me.” Letho’s body clenched under Eskel’s touch and he shuddered letting go of it all. A finger dipped inside and Letho gasped. He tried to move his hips with it but was unable. He was trapped, helpless— weak— exactly as Eskel had promised and Letho bit his lip.

Letho couldn’t stop it, didn’t want to, and he breathed hard through his nose, Eskel’s finger gently slipping deeper. Cock so full it ached, Letho wanted to rock his hips and find friction for it. Relief. But he couldn't.

It hit Letho hard then— he had no control at all. He couldn't even pleasure himself without Eskel's permission. "Shit, Esk-" Letho panted and squeezed his eyes shut. "Please don't leave me like this."

Eskel leaned over Letho, laying his chest over Letho's upturned hip and side. The move drove his finger deep and Letho clamped his mouth shut to muffle a cry. It also pushed Eskel's cock, smooth skinned and hot, right up along Letho's.

"'M not gonna leave you hangin'. Jus' takin' my time. Want you to enjoy this." Eskel kissed whatever bit of skin was exposed to him between the ropes. The full weight of Eskel's upper body covered Letho like so many heavy quilts and he let out a shaking breath. His eyes ached.

“Don’t think I deserve to enjoy this. Maybe we should stop.” Heaving another breath in, Letho tried to let it flow out smoothly. To calm himself and ease his mind, but instead it faltered and rattled on the way out. “I’m not a good man.”

There was a pause, a silence for a moment from Eskel. And then soft lips kissed Letho’s shoulder again. “You’re not a bad man, either.” The silence returned because Letho didn’t know what to say to that. How to argue with it. He’d killed people. Kings and commoners. Not just monsters. Eskel _knew_ this, how could he say that. In the end Letho could only shake his head mutely, eyes still squeezed shut.

“I don’ think you really want me to stop. I think you wanna feel good an’ be helpless to stop me from makin’ you. But, I also think you need a word. Somethin’ you can say to lemme know that you really mean stop, if you do.” Eskel still hadn’t moved from where he draped over Letho, save to kiss Letho’s shoulder.

The fact that Eskel’s finger was still buried tightly in his ass wasn’t lost on Letho either and it took a significant effort to think past it. Eskel was right. He really didn’t want this to stop. Just because he didn’t deserve something, didn’t stop him from craving it.

He wanted Eskel to stretch him open and have his way with him and he didn’t want to feel like he could stop it. Having the ability to actually stop it was probably a damn good idea though. Since he already felt raw and he wasn’t even getting fucked yet. “Mountains.” Letho mumbled the word out as clearly as he could. He’d always liked the mountains, his school had been there. Hard to forget that. 

“Mountains?” Eskel repeated the word back to him quietly in a question. “That’s your word to stop me?”

Letho could only nod his head again. Words were becoming too hard to keep track of. If he _had_ to he could say it, but he didn’t need to right now.

“Alright.” Eskel gave his shoulder another kiss followed by a roll of his hips. Gasping at the slide of Eskel’s cock up along the underside of his Letho held his breath. Another oily finger circled and pressed at the rim of his tight hole. Seeking entrance with the first and Letho grunted. It teased and the pad of it tugged at his furl while Eskel rocked and canted his hips.

Somewhere in the distraction of that thick cock sliding along under his Letho felt a stretch and thickness. Then two fingers were gently sinking in, pulling almost all the way out, before filling him up again. Eskel sat back up, straddling Letho’s thigh again, and took both their cocks in his other hand stroking them slowly.

“Shiii-” Letho felt delirious, his attempt at swearing even drawn out and lost halfway through the word. Eskel’s hand was still oily and the strokes were amazing, not too harsh or too fast. Once more Letho would have begged to thrust his hips into them if he could have found the words but they were gone. And then so was Eskel’s hand.

Letho was searching for the words to complain about that with when Eskel’s fingers retreated from his ass and were replaced by the blunt head of his oiled cock. Eskel’s thumbs pried him apart wide and his hips pressed forward. Letho was caught. Trapped. Terrified for a moment and turned on all at the same time.

It had been decades since he’d allowed another man to— Oh shit. Letho panted, all the air he’d been holding in suddenly punched out of him by the head of Eskel’s cock popping inside. Gulping, the blood rushed in Letho’s ears and he was so helpless, Eskel could do anything he wanted to him right now. A whimper escaped and an oily hand ran up his spine. Gentle. Comforting. Safe. 

“Shhh. ‘S alright.” Back and forth. Up and down his spine the hand ran. Eskel’s hand, big and calloused from swords. A witcher’s hand. Someone he couldn’t break by accident. The whimpers and gulps turned into smaller heaves and shudders. “Lemme know when you’re ready for more.”

Letho tried to relax, his hole was so tight around Eskel’s cock it burned. The more he breathed the better if felt though, until he remembered how to bear down on it and force his muscles open. Nodding blindly Letho grunted out a single word. “More.” 

Eyes opening wide, Letho moaned loudly as Eskel slid in deeper. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes that had nothing to do with pain and he told himself not to blink, not to send them spilling down his face. The stretch and slide was overwhelmingly intimate. No one had been this close to him in so, so, long and Letho wanted Eskel to stay with him, in him. Not to leave him.

The first pull back was traitorous, leaving Letho empty and alone. But Eskel surged back inside of him. Opening him back up and making a home for himself there, and then Letho did blink and the tears did fall. 

At first it was slow and sensual. Eskel did draw it out, as much as he could. When Letho was lost in his passion unable to remember why he didn’t think he deserved this he begged for more, and Eskel obliged, speeding up and plunging in harder. Truly taking him.

Finally Letho broke. “Can’t-” Letho’s orgasm dangled just barely out of reach, taunting him. “I need you to _touch_ me Damnit!” 

A hand ran up his cock, stroking it hard and fast. Once, twice, three times. Fingertips dancing over the head and back along the shaft. Four, five, six and when Eskel’s fingers swirled over the tip again Letho painted them white. 

Breath caught in his throat Letho cried out silently as his orgasm ripped through him. Ass clamping down tightly on Eskel’s cock as it throbbed and pumped inside of him, Letho tried to remember how to breathe. Lungs on fire from lack of air and vision slowly starting to gray. Eskel gave a few more thrusts, lazy and sated, before rolling to the side.

A hand ran along the crack of his ass and Letho choked on the air in his lungs, still trying to breathe, and then choked on the sob that finally broke free when Eskel pushed two fingers back inside of him.

“You were wonderful.” Eskel curled up against Letho’s back, one leg thrown over Letho’s extended unbound leg protectively. Fingers held still in Letho’s ass. The hair on Eskel’s chest tickled Letho’s arms where they were bound behind his back. For a while They laid like that, catching their breath and coming down. 

Sometime later, probably only minutes, but to Letho it felt like an hour Eskel kissed his shoulder. “‘M gonna untie you in a bit an’ then I can wash you here or you can have a bath. How’re you doin?”

Letho blinked. _In a bit_. That sounded good. All of a sudden it was over and he wasn’t really sure he was ready for that. It had been good, exceptionally good, great even. Not just the sex but to be _touched_. To have someone even give a quarter of a floren of time and attention to him. And he wasn’t even sure why Eskel had done it still. 

“Why did you…?” Letho wasn’t sure how to word the question he wanted to ask.

Eskel seemed to get it though. “‘Cause you deserve as much time an’ attention as any one of us. You’re not a beast, Letho. You were jus’ survivin’ an’ we’ve all done that.” Gently his fingers slid out leaving Letho feeling bereft and empty. Eskel wrapped his arm around Letho’s gut instead though and pulled him flush. “‘S alright to want. ‘S alright to get things too. I enjoy pleasin’ an’ bein’ in control. If that gives you want you want then why shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves?”

Grunting Letho didn’t answer. He didn’t have one. “I’d like a bath I think. When you’re ready to untie me.”

“When you’re ready to be untied you mean.” Letho could feel the corners of Eskel’s mouth turn up against his shoulder.

Letting out a loose breath, Letho sighed softly. “Yeah. In a few more minutes. I don’t want to be done yet.”

“Tha’s alright too. You’ve waited a long time for this. Take your time an’ lemme know when.” Eskel let out a deep heavy sigh into Letho’s skin, not disappointed— more understanding.


	2. The Bite of Intimacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Eskel unties Letho and gets him to the tub Eskel starts in on his aftercare routine. Which for Letho is anything but routine.

The water rose up, lapping at Letho’s thighs, then his ass, as he lowered himself into the tub. His cock and balls bobbed helplessly in the waves he created. A thin layer of herbs floated atop the water— feverfew and chamomile— their tiny dried flowers uncurling as they absorbed the moisture from the tub.

Helpless. Shit, that was how Letho had felt when Eskel had taken one of Letho’s huge arms and pulled it over his own shoulder to help guide Letho to the tub. His legs had been shaky when he tried to stand from the bed and Eskel hadn’t missed it. Letho sighed and sunk further into the tub, letting his ass touch bottom and bringing his knees up. Arms crossed and resting on his knees, Letho laid his head sideways on his forearms. 

Eskel’s warm hand drifted over Letho’s shoulders. It was easy to enjoy it for the moment, the friendliness there, the lack of fear.

“‘M gonna go down an’ round up some food. You gonna be alright up here alone for a moment?” Eskel’s fingers scratched Letho’s back lightly.

Letho’s lips curled into a smile and he huffed out a short laugh. “Of course I will be. No reason for me not to be.” _Been alone a long time_ , his mind reminded him quietly.

“‘Cause sometimes you don’t need a reason to not be alright? ‘Specially after somethin’ as…” there was a pause and Eskel seemed to be thinking or looking for the right word, “... deeply intimate, as what we jus’ shared.” Lips pressed to the bare side of Letho’s head, just above his ear. “Jus’ stay here for me. I’ll be right back with some snacks. I’ll be able to feed you a proper breakfast in the mornin’, promise.”

Letho held his breath, eyes tracking Eskel’s every movement out of the room. Still naked as the day he was born, Eskel hadn’t even bothered putting on his braies. Maybe, just maybe, Letho’s brain supplied, what he heard wasn’t a _lie_. Impossible. It had to be. Eskel could easily have a spare set of armor stashed downstairs.

Unease twisted in Letho’s gut and he sat up in the tub, looking around. Eskel’s best armor was still piled on the dresser, and his swords leaned against the foot of the bed. No witcher in his right mind would leave those behind, not even to get out of having to see him again. 

Letho jumped when the door swished open again, eyes flashing up to see Eskel holding two pears and a glass jar of brown paste. Concern flared in Eskel’s dark honey eyes. “I brought some pears an’ hazlenut butter. Have you ever had that?” Eskel drug a three legged stool over from the vanity with his foot and parked it by the tub.  
Watching with interest as Eskel arranged the pears and jar on it, Letho’s stomach growled. “Can’t say that I have.” Eskel was walking over to the bedside table, probably for his knife? As soon as Letho realized he was staring at Eskel bare ass he looked down at the water in front of himself, suddenly grateful he couldn’t see a reflection there with all the tiny flowers floating around. Feverfew and chamomile. For aches and pains, and for sleep. Letho snorted, maybe Eskel really did give enough of a shit to want him to stay the night.

“Wha’s so funny?” The question came from far too close and Letho chastised himself for not paying enough attention. Stupidity like that could get him killed. Indeed, Eskel’s trophy knife clinked down on the little stool, as well as a bar of soap that smelled like booze and trees.

“Oh? Nothing.” Letho lied easily.

“Move forward.” Without thinking too much Letho did as he was told, then immediately wondered _why_. In the middle of pondering how Eskel could have such an effect on him the water sloshed around him, raising up, and Eskel’s whole body brushed along Letho’s back on the way down into the tub. 

Like a pit viper thrown into an ice cold stream, Letho found his movements just wouldn’t come. Confusion bloomed in his head. Finally he managed to wrap his tongue around some words and force them out of his mouth. “What are you doing?” 

Warm arms wrapped around Letho’s barrel chest, under his arms, clasping together in the front to hold him. Eskel laid his body along Letho’s back and Letho could feel the words vibrating on his spine where Eskel’s cheek rested. “Takin’ care of you?” One hand dipped down, cupping water and bringing it up to Letho’s chest. “‘S part of bein’ with me? Of givin’ me what you did. I need to take care of you afterward. Makes me feel better an’ you feel better.”

Slowly the heat returned to Letho’s body and with it his ability to move. Turning his body and craning his neck a bit Letho looked at Eskel doubtfully. “Not going to take off, or ask me to leave? That’s how this usually goes.”  
“No.” The absolute vehemence Eskel managed to fit into that one word surprised Letho. “An’ anyone who does that, is an asshole who doesn’t deserve the kinda thing you gave me. Don’ ever share that with ‘em.” There was a possessiveness underlying that comment that pulled hard at Letho. Made him want someone to want him like that. 

Eskel tipped his head back and let out a breath. “‘M sorry, that was a little too bossy of me. You’re free to do what you please. But I hope you do it with someone who treats you well.”

Looking away and to the door again, Letho let it curl in his chest. The way that comment had made him want things. “Nah, it’s alright.” Leaning back into Eskel’s chest, Letho relaxed, Eskel had already seen so much of what he needed and wanted what could a little more hurt? “It’s not like I’d know the difference. Never had anyone treat me all that well to start with. Not like this.” Letho moved a hand in an arc in front of himself to indicate the hot bath and food.

Arching his neck when Eskel kissed it Letho let him have more room. Because Uroboros could choke on his tail if it didn’t feel amazing. To be held and kissed and wanted still, even after the rutting was done. “Then let me,” Eskel kissed up his neck and nibbled his ear, “how you should be treated.”

A soft grunt was the only reply Letho could supply. When Eskel instructed him he slid down further in the water and let his head rest on Eskel’s chest. The knife flashed before his eyes, cutting a slice off of one of the pears. Eskel both aside and dipped the pear in the brown paste before bringing it to Letho’s lips.

A tiny part of Letho grumbled at being _fed_ but a larger part of him preened at it. That someone thought he was worth feeding, instead of thinking he should work and scrounge for it himself. Opening his mouth he bit down. The pear was juicy almost past ripe and succulent. Sweet. The paste made of nuts was strong and had cinnamon bark flavoring. Together they made Letho’s mouth water and his ego didn’t argue with another bite after that.

Eskel fed him both pears and a good portion of the hazelnut spread. Until Letho was humming with satisfaction. Then he brought the bar of soap over and dipped it in the water. Running it over Letho’s chest, his arms, tipping him forward to scrub his back with it. Eskel worked the soap into a linen cloth draped over the side of the tub and set the bar aside again.

Using his hands, Eskel ran the leftover suds up and around Letho’s bald head. Working his fingers into the skin there as if he had hair and it made Letho’s scalp tingle. Eskel urged him down into the water and Letho went easily. Coming back up to rest against Eskel again warm and clean.

Letho sighed heavily when the lined cloth slipped under the water to work against his thighs, soap turning the water white. His legs fell open without a thought but he grunted, tensing up when Eskel’s hands wandered with the linen to his cock. Letho forced himself to relax and slowly with meticulous care Eskel worked the cloth around his cock. Cleaning from tip to base. Pulling his foreskin back to twirl the cloth ever so gently around the sensitive head making Letho gasp and squirm. 

Eskel used his free fingers to wash away the soap and draw the skin back over the head of Letho’s cock. The hand with the linen had already moved on circle the shaft and then giving his balls gentle cleansing tugs. Washing away any evidence that he’d come all over himself and Eskel earlier.

Hushing Letho with a murmur by his ear, Eskel whispered to him. So soft none but a witcher could hear even if they were in the room. “Tell me if ‘s too much.” 

Letho swallowed, throat suddenly dry, as Eskel’s free hand snaked under his massive thigh and started to lift it. Shiiit. Eske cocked his own knee up and draped Letho’s leg out to the side over it. Heart thudding in his ear again Letho knew where this was going. He wanted it. Wanted to say no. Wanted to say yes. This was so private, guarded and intimate. Intimacy— that's what this was all about wasn’t it?

The first sweep of the linen over his tender hole made Letho heave a breath in and back out, too fast. Too loud. It didn’t hurt but he ached in that oversensitive way that didn’t let him forget Eskel had been there, rutting into him with his thick cock. And now Eskel was washing him. Soft brushes of the cloth over his rim, circling it and cleaning away the last traces of Eskel’s cum.

Eskel’s lips closed over Letho’s neck, sucking gently. The cloth dropped away and Letho groaned. It had almost become good again. “You're so good for me.” Eskel nipped at his neck startling Letho from his reverie. Leg moved back to the middle again, Eskel rose up behind him. “C’mon, le’s get you wrapped up comfortable in bed.”

At least this time when he took Eskel’s hand Letho’s legs didn’t threaten to buckle underneath him. Eskel dried him off, bit by bit, taking his time with every inch. Kissing and commenting on scars or things he found that he liked. Letho ducked his head and tried hard not to let it embarrass him. He didn’t really succeed, but Eskel didn’t seem to mind as long as letho didn’t _argue_ with him.

Wrapped in a blanket Letho was ordered to stand watch (over nothing he noted) while Eskel stripped the dirty linens from the bed, and put on new ones. Once he was done with that Eskel peeled back the new covers and invited Letho in.

Adding his blanket as the top layer, Letho crawled in. He was settling in on his side when Eskel pressed flush against him. Draping a leg over Letho’s own and forcing an arm under Letho’s head, Eskel wormed his other arm under Letho’s and around his chest. 

Snuggled securely up to Letho Eskel kissed his spine right where it met his neck. “In the mornin’ you’re gonna stay right here while I go get a real breakfast from Marlene. An’ then you’re gonna eat it here, with me, in bed.” 

For the umpteenth time that night Letho had no word. What was he supposed to say to Eskel? The man clearly was intent on keeping him. At least for the night. And as much and his brain insisted it was a terrible idea, Letho’s heart was very interested in the idea of being taken care of for a night.


End file.
